PremiumListen to this article |
The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) today launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV)-C52 rocket carrying ISRO's earth observation satellite EOS-04 and two others off from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
According to ISRO, “PSLV-C52 is designed to orbit an earth observation satellite (EOS-04), weighing 1710 kg into a sun-synchronous polar orbit of 529 km."
PSLV-C52 mission will also carry two small satellites as co-passengers which includes one student satellite (INSPIREsat-1) from Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST) in association with Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics at University of Colorado, Boulder and a technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B).
EOS-04 is a Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as Agriculture, Forestry & Plantations, Soil Moisture & Hydrology and Flood mapping.
Two scientific payloads in this satellite is to improve the understanding of ionosphere dynamics and sun's coronal heating processes. The other is a technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to the India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B). Having a thermal imaging camera as its payload, the satellite benefits the assessment of land surface temperature, water surface temperature of wetland or lakes, delineation of vegetation (crops and forest) and thermal inertia (day and night). This will be the 54th flight of PSLV and 23rd Mission using PSLV-XL configuration with 6 PSOM-XLs (strap-on motors).
*With inputs from agencies
